Gladys had been a longstanding, active member around LSCO. She currently still resides in Lethbridge, but is thinking about moving to Raymond to be closer to family. Gladys was struck hard by Covid and she is finally beginning to feel more motivated and active again.
Gladys was born in the village of Riding Mountain, Manitoba on December 24, 1938. Her parents were Canadian-born and her father started out as a farmer. Her paternal roots are from Ireland and her maternal roots are in Manitoba.
Gladys’ father and uncles were in WWII; in all, 8 of Gladys’ extended family were in the war effort. Gladys’ father was overseas, but not in combat. Gladys remembers that sugar was rationed and how margarine got “coloured”.
There were three children in Gladys’ family; she has two elder brothers. She and her brothers always got along well. Gladys attended school in Riding Mountain to Grade 9. She remembers walking 1.5 miles to school and snowbanks as high as telephone poles. Gladys’ household chore was bringing in wood for the cookstove on a toboggan. In her early school years, her school consisted of one-room, and was also a village church. Later, there was a stand-alone school building. Her brothers moved away from home as teenagers.
Gladys’ parents separated and she ended up moving to Winnipeg with her mother. Gladys got a job making license plates for about a year. Her parents reunited, but her father passed away at age 55 due to a heart attack.
Gladys was always very keen on learning and doing artistic handwork. She taught herself to crochet and even taught her mother. Gladys taught herself to cook and sew. She lived with her Gramma for some of her adolescence and participated in 4H.
From Winnipeg, Gladys and her mother moved to Edmonton. Gladys was trained to be a telephone operator by Alberta Government Telephones and did that job for a few years. Afterwards, she moved to Vancouver for awhile where there was work and friends. Gladys returned to Alberta and in Calgary, she reunited with her mother.
Gladys married her husband Bob in 1959. They had three sons, but separated after 11 years and Gladys took on single parenting.
Gladys took ceramics courses in Calgary and then began to teach from her home. Instructors told her that she was “a natural”. She had earned a teaching certificate in Ceramics while in Calgary.
She remained in Calgary and eventually married Norman, who came with four children. They had a daughter together, and Gladys was a very busy mother and homemaker to this family! Gladys says that she is satisfied with how the children blended and that she continues to have good relationships with them.
Norman also had a farm (Magrath), which he operated even though he had a successful career off the farm. Gladys and Norman, and two of the children moved to Magrath in the early 80’s, but she wanted to do something more. She describes Norman as a good provider and farmer; he also helped with Gladys’ ceramics business that she set up in Magrath, but Norman passed away in 2002. Gladys hired schoolkids who would come after school and help her with the business, as the work was too heavy for her on her own. She had also begun to teach ceramics in Lethbridge, so Gladys decided to move to Lethbridge because farming was not practical for her any longer.
Gladys began to teach herself ‘china painting on porcelain’, but it is a lengthy process and although she taught it for a few years, its popularity began to wane like ceramics.
Gladys began teaching knitting and crocheting at LSCO; she was age 53 at this point. (LSCO rules were such that she could not buy a membership at the time due to her young age!)
Gladys’ LSCO history is lengthy so far, 32 years! She volunteered e.g.in the boutique, taught ceramics, participated in quilting, knitting and crochet, watercolours, and Zen tangle. (Zen tangle can be viewed on the west wall in the card playing area.) Gladys was such an involved quilter that she made quilts for each of her family members!
Gladys ‘ enduring belief is that everybody should be treated equally; we may have different bodies, but we are all human.
Gladys met Stu at LSCO almost 20 years ago. They travelled across Canada, took shorter bus tours, went to events together, and generally enjoyed each others’ company; their children were happy for their parents in their relationship. Gladys enjoyed cooking supper for her and Stu as long as possible. However, Stu has passed away and Gladys is as much a new widow as anyone else has experienced.
Gladys’ comfort food is “meat and potatoes”; she does not enjoy eating alone, no matter how fancy or expensive the food is. She has an enduring positive memory in that for her 70th birthday, her children threw her first proper birthday party; it was a success!
Gladys enjoys watching many TV sports e.g. hockey, tennis, curling, football, soccer. She likes Country music e.g. Willie Nelson, Blake Shelton.
Gladys would like people to know that she likes “to try new things.” For now, she has become an avid 5-Pin Bowler; she bowls in two leagues and she is consistent in her scores. She has also returned to taking up Hardanger, a type of embroidery that she learned years ago.
It should go without saying at this point, but it seems obvious that Gladys likes to keep her mind and body active. We look forward to seeing more of her again around LSCO.
Welcome Back Gladys!
